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Requesting help again in identifying a family piece said by my grandmother to have been owned by a martial arts enthusiast, who placed it next to a suit of Samurai Armor and claimed it had belonged to a "Royal Samurai." I have done a lot of research and understand he might have been referring to a Daimyo.

I believe it is Yakusugi (cedar) carved in relief with a large pine tree on a rock. Two falcons also appear in great detail. The imagery resembles many Japanese paintings, and the carving resembles Osaka Ranma in style.

I have read a lot of references to art and architecture commissioned by the Samurai class in lieu of more obvious luxury items and believe this could be such a piece. The popularity of the falcon during the Edo period and before, and its close association to Samurai culture adds up. That being said I can only attest to it being around my entire life (I’m in my mid 30's). My father says my grandmother got it in the early 70's.

There are no carved marks of an artist, but that is consistent with much early Japanese art. There is a faint mark on the back, like a water mark that looks like Japanese or Chinese writing. I showed it to a Japanese art expert in a shop once who told me it might say Sadayoshi. I have not been able to match it to any Japanese or Chinese spellings of that name.

The piece rests in the cut log feet but is not fixed, nor is it flush. The cut marks at the base of the slab are not uniform, and appear to be done by hand.
The carving is truly masterful and is clearly not machined.

I can find single panel screens online, and I can find Yakusugi carvings of falcons in pine trees, I can even find solid wood screens of Yakusugi wood slabs. I also recently found a miniature Shinto shrine at the museum of modern art in San Diego that had walls almost exactly like the screen I possess made in 1830.

I will include helpful images and welcome ANY comments.
I do intend to sell the item, once I know what it is.


Byobu, Tsuitate, Screen, Edo,Meji, Taka, Falcon,Hawk, Pine Tree, Tokugawa, Samurai, Daimyo, Yakusugi, cedar, relief, Japan,

Anthony Carreno

Link :images

FYI, Taiwan was a Japanese province from the end of the 19th century until 1945, and might be a source of your screen. The town of Sanyi (三義) in the mountains, toward the northern end of the island, is a woodcarving center, where many of the artisans produce Japanese-style root wood carvings similar to yours. The only example I have of Sanyi work with a bird on it is this eagle plaque, based on a 19th century American military buckle, but at least it shows the style and a glimpse of the wood on the ungilded side. After the carving was almost finished, a crack developed on the back, but the piece was well enough done that I settled for a patch. When I was there in the mid-1970s, the shops had large piles of roots stocked out back for making tables and art carvings.

Best regards,

Bill H.

Thanks, I have studied East Asian history extensively and I am very familiar with the politics and transitions. While the buckle copy is nice, your inclusion makes me think my photos are lacking. I am really looking for expertise here not guesses. I have been researching this for years and have found much more similar items, in quality, and material. This is not a souvenir and is not carved like one. It is also over five feet tall.

Seeking help from experts.


Japanese Tsuitate, Byobu, screen,

I am including more photos in photo bucket and an example here

To Bill (who took his time to respond to my post):
I reread my follow-up messages and realized they could be interpreted as disrespectful. I sincerely apologize if you read them that way. I'm just always at the beginning with this Item and I'm hoping for some magical "expert" who knows odd burl slab carvings. I do appreciate your lead, your time, and your expertise, so thank you.

Thank you. It did occur to me that you might have gotten up on the wrong side of bed. Since postings here never have a curriculum vitae attached, when I see queries like yours and think I may have even a small amount of relevant information to contribute, I post it. Sometimes it gets the discourse started, and we both have a chance to learn something new.

Best regards,

Bill H.

Bill H:

Your point about Sanyi wood carvings is not unfounded. The screen in my image was made in Sanyi.

Image source:
http://photo.pchome.com.tw/paohsinhsin/123954126936

I saw your old post of this item. Can you post a better photo of the watermark? Thanks.

water mark

mark

That first character looks like the Japanese katakana "mo".

Am I reading the 2nd kanji correctly, as "戶" ?

Similar carvings from Japan: portable shinto shrine 1830, edo screen, meji screen
(if you can zoom in on the shrine wall it's very similar in relative size and theme)

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